Can-closing machine



Nova 15, 1927. 1,649,232

J. M. HOTHERSALL CAN CLOSING MACHINE 'Filed Sept. 14, 1925 2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTO TORNEYS .3. M. HOTHERSALL CAN CLOSING MACHINEFiled Sept. 14, 192.5

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JOHN M. HOTHERSALL, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T AMERICAN CANCOMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CAN-CLOSING MACHINE.

Application filed September 14, 1925. Serial No. 56,271.

The present invention relates to can closing machines and is embodied inan apparatus similar, in many respects, to that of my co-pending aplication of even date herewith, hearing erial No. 56,272.

Both the present machine and that of my co-pending application areadapted to operate upon containers of the barrel ty e, in which the endsare extended beyon the seams by which they are attached to the containerbody, making it therefore impossible to use the ordinary type of doubleseaming machine in which the seam is backed up during the seamingoperations by means of a chuck entering a counter-sunk end. The machineof the other application is adapted for attaching the cover to thecontalner body, and the present machine is particularly adapted for aplying the bottom end,

which is the'first toe attached.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an im roved suporting means for the can, inclu ing an e ement for backing up the seamduring operation of the seaming rollers. The invention resides primarilyin said supporting means and the mechanism for operating the same and inthe combination of parts as set out in the appended claims. I

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be ap arentas it is better understood from the ollowing description, which, takenin, connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferredembodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a double seaming machine in which myinvention is embodied; I

Fig. 2is a sectional and plan view thereof, talen just above the seamingmechanism; an

Fig. 3 is a detail showing the can support and backing up member, oranvil, in its relation to one of the seamin rollers, the can being shownin position or seaming and being partially broken away for betterillustration.

Upon said drawin s, illustrating the best manner in which I ave thus farcontemplated applying the rinciples of my invention, the reference 0aracter 11 indicates a column or standard arising from a base 12,

saidcolumn having a drive shaft 13 journaled therein at its upper endand carrying the end of the can to rotate the latter durmg the seamingoperation.

The seaming mechanism is, enerally,

similar to that described in detail 111 my copending application and isnot shown in detail here since it forms no part of the presentinvention. A bracket, or guidewa 24 extends laterally from the stander11 and carries a sliding block 25, adapted to headjusted to properlyosition the seaming mechanism for cans o dilferent diameter by means of,a threaded rod 26, provided with a handle 27 formanual operation. Thefirst, second and third operation seaming rollers, which I haveindicated, respectively, by the reference characters 28, 29 and 31 inFig. 2 of the drawings, are carried bye disk or turret 32, rotatablymounted upon" an axis 33 and adapted to be turned about said axis bymeans of a handle 34, adapted "to be manipulated by the operator.Referring now to the can. supportin means, it will be seen that the can35, wit 1 the bottom end 36 applied thereto and the opposite end open,is supported upon a rotatable support plate 37, which 1s carried at theupper. end of a bar 38, pivoted at 39 to a rod 41, which is slidablymounted inv a bracket 42 extended from the column 11.

' Said rod is adapted to be raised and lowered by means of an arm 43,having its forward end engaged in a slot 44 in the lower end of saidrod, said. arm being pivoted to the frame at 45 and connected by meansof a rod 46 with a foot lever 47 pivoted at 48 and having a foot pedal49 at the forward end thereof, said lever being held in centeredposition by guides 51 arising from the base 12. The bar 38 has studs 52projecting from the opposite sides thereof and disposed in cam slots 53formed in a bifurcated bracket 54 extending forwardly from theuprightll, a a above the bracket 42, this construction bein such thatthe bar 38 and support plate fall forwardly to the position shown 1ndotted lines in Fig. 1 when the foot lever is raised and are broughttothe upright position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 when said foot leveris depressed. It will be apparent that when in the dotted line position,a can may be positioned or removed, and when raised to the full lineposition, said can may be engaged by the chuck 23 and rotated to performthe seaming operation.

Secured to the top of the support plate 37 is a backing-up member, oranvil, 55, which has a flange 56 at the bottom thereof, over which theopen end of the can is adapted to engage, the upper end of said anvilhaving a beveled shoulder 57 thereon adapted to fit within the can end36 and to back up the seam 58 during the operation of theseaming'rollers. The can is thus firmly supported and the parts enteringinto the seam are held in proper relationshi to effect accurate andtight seaming, an provision is made for quickly and easily removing andpositioning the cans. It is' thought that the invention and many of itsattendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description,and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form,construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention, or sacrificing all of its materialadvantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferredembodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A can closing machine, com rising a frame, a can support, a chuck aapted to clamp a can and positioned end onto said support, seamingmechanism carried by said frame and positioned adjacent said support,

means for effecting relative rotary movement of the can and seamingmechanism, and an element on said support over which the can is adaptedto be positioned and which at the seaming lineis of substantially thesame diameter as the interior of the can and is adapted to back upaseam, securing the end to the can body intermediate the ends of thefinished can.

2. A can closing machine, com rising a frame, a can su port, a chuck aapted to clamp a can an positioned end onto said support, seamingmechanism carried by said frame and positioned adjacent said support,means for effecting relative rotary movement of the can and seamingmechanism, and an element on said support over which the can is adaptedto be positioned and which is adapted to back up a seam, securing theend to'the can body intermediate the ends of the finished can, saidsupport being movable awayffrom'seaming position and from under the topchuck to permit positioning and removal'of the'cans'.

3. A' can closing machine, comprising a frame.'seaming mechanismsupported thereby, means for supporting a can and positioned end inposition to be operated upon by said mechanism, said means including amember pivoted to be movable from under the top chuck provided with ananvil over whic the can is adapted to be placed and which is adapted toback up the seam on the inside thereof during the seaming operation, andmeans for effecting relative rotary movement of the can and seamingmechanism.

4. A can closing machine, comprising a 1" rame, seaming mechanismsupported thereby, means for supporting a can and positioned end inposition to be operated upon by said mechanism, said means including apivoted member provided with an anvil over which the can is adapted tobe placed and which is adapted to back up the seam on the inside thereofduring the seaming operation, and means for effecting relative rotarymovement of the can and seaming mechanism, said pivoted memberhaving'one position wherein the can may be positioned u n or removedfrom said anvil and anot er position holding the can in proper relationfor seaming. I

5. A can closing machine, comprising a frame, seaming mechanismsupported there by, means for supporting a can and positioned end inposition to be operated upon by said mechanism, said means including apivoted member provided with an anvil over which the can is adapted tobe placed and which is adapted to back up the seam on the inside thereofduring the seaming opera.- tion, means for efiecting relative rotarymovement of the can and seaming mechanism, said pivoted member havingone position wherein the can may be positioned upon or removed from saidanvil and another position holding the can in proper relation forseaming, and manually operable means for arranging said memben indesired position.

6. A can closing machine, comprising a frame, seaming mechanismsupported thereby, means including a pivoted member for supporting a canand positioned end in position tobe operated upon by saidmechanism,

, means for raising and lowering said member,

and a cam acting upon said member to move the same laterally during theraising and lowering movement thereof, said can and seaming mechanismhaving relative rotary movement. M a

- 7. A can closing machine, comprising a frame, seaming mechanismsupported thereby, means for supporting a can and positioned end inposition to be operated u on by said mechanism, said means inclu ing amember pivoted to be movable from under the top chuck provided with ananvil over which the can is adapted to be placed and which is adapted toback up the seam on the inside thereof during the seaming operation,means for centering the opposite end of the can, and means for effectingrelative rotary movement of the can and seaming mechanism.

8. A can closing machine, comprising a frame, seaming mechanismsupported thereby, means for supporting a can and positioned end inposition to be operated upon by said mechanism, said means including apivoted member provided with an anvil over which the can is adapted tobe placed and which is adapted to back up the seam on the inside thereofduring the seaming operation, means for effecting relative rotarymovement of the can and seaming mechanism, means for raising andlowering said pivoted 15 member, and a cam acting upon said mem-

